3/29/2020
Tomorrow is the first day of all online classes and a part of me is glad that I don’t have to be on campus anymore, but the other part of me wants that social interaction. Even though I am as introverted as they come. I have spent the last two days, well last two weeks really, doing nothing but re-watching the Vampire Diaries from the beginning. And I have found that I am still on board the Delena (Damon Salvatore and Elena Gilbert) train. Is it because I am a fan of Ian Somerhalder? Maybe. Is it because I find Paul Weasley’s character Stefan Salvatore annoying? Possibly. However, as I sit and watch The Vampire Diaries, I feel guilty because I know that I need to be reviewing for my Business classes.
3/30/2020
Transitions have always been a little hard for me. When I first came to Missouri State University, I had trouble transitioning to dorm life and the everyday life of MSU. I am an only child, so I had no one to really learn from about the transition, and neither of my parents graduated from college. So really, I had no one.
With the developments of COVID-19 and having to make the decision to move out of my dorm room for me was almost a dream come true in a way. I am a homebody and do not like leaving the house or dorm room unless I absolutely must. So really the transition to going online has been easier than the transition to a dorm.
However, with any kind of pandemic or hardship, I have had bad days as well. Being home in Arkansas again has been challenging to say the least. I come from a small town where everyone knows your business and with neighbors right on top of you it feels like you cannot breathe.
3/31/2020
I transferred from a community college in Arkansas and my last semester there I had five classes online. Much like now, but the only difference now is I did not choose to go all online this semester. At least two of my seated classes this semester are an easy transition and I feel like they are the type that you can do easily online. However, I am currently enrolled in a finance class, and this is one of those classes that has a ton of math involved which is why I chose to take it seated versus the online seating. And it is because of that that I am completely afraid that I am going to botch this class.
However, I digress. The point of this blog post is to give you an inside look into someone else’s experiences of going all online. First things first, I want each and every one of you to know that we are all in this together. All 26,001 of us. Secondly, there is one quote that I am reminded of everyday:
“The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.” -Ernest Hemingway
4/01/2020
My days have been running together and honestly as I sit here, I am not sure what day it is anymore. But this is our new normal for the time being and there is not a whole lot we can do about it. I am reminded of a quote by Martin Luther King Jr. that says:
“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so, we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can’t ride you unless your back is bent.”
We will all get through this change, just have to give it time.
4/02/2020
I have had human contact all week (i.e., my parents), however today I had my first weekly zoom meeting with my fellow CAST members and supervisors. I know that we are all in this shutdown stay at home thing together but seeing it with your own eyes in different parts of the state or across state lines (like I am) gives me that sense of “We are alone together.” Kind of like that Freeform show “Alone Together” that I never watched but relate to now that we are literally alone together.
4/03/2020
It is finally Friday and I could not be happier. However, as I say that I know I will not be getting out of the house unless it is to go outside and be around the cat that has gone from being named Ghost to Sticky Butt. Which is a story for another day. With it being Friday, it means I can finally boot one of my parents out of the house and have some peace and quiet. After his two days off I am ready for a break, so I don’t have to hear “Hey Rhiannon! Hey Rhiannon!” only for him to say after a million what’s, “I just like saying that to make you mad.”
~Rhiannon
(Bio: My name is Rhiannon Casey, a transfer student from Arkansas State University. I am currently a Junior Marketing Major with an emphasis in Advertising and Promotions.)